Hunt for the title-race

With just four rounds remaining in this year's I-League matches, three teams are competing for the top spot.

Bengaluru FC (37) are leading, three points ahead of Salgaocar FC (34) and Pune FC (30) are in the third place. Pune have an advantage for they have five games to go compared to the other two who have four.

Sporting Clube de Goa – who looked good before the start of the second phase of the league – have fallen back but they could spring a surprise having a match advantage.

"The title race is wide open. But like I have always maintained, we were never favourites," said the Bengaluru coach Ashley Westwood.

"It's all about accomplishing standards we have set for ourselves. No matter what happens in the end, it is our effort we have put in that we will look at," he added.

"I think this season, the league will go down to the last round. If we can keep ourselves in the hunt, anything can happen," said Chirag Tanna of Pune FC.

However, the defending champions Churchill Brothers have failed to create magic this season and are lurking in the relegation zone with just 18 points for equal number of matches. Their coach Mariano Dias is hopeful that they would stay in the elite group.

"We have six more matches, and going by the way we are playing after winning the Federation Cup, we should get out of the relegation zone," said Dias.